I don’t know if the rest of the quote applies: “… sting like a bee”. But this new bike, the Butterfly, from Rich Sadler certainly gives the impression of floating. The combination of rear elastomers and a nicely-padded seat does do a good job of smoothing out the rough stuff. Don’t get me wrong – this isn’t the cushy, pogo ride of some bikes I’ve sampled, but we wouldn’t want that anyway. Nothing slows you down quite as much as diverting your pedaling energy into going up and down instead of forward! With the seat on this bike, and the right amount of flex in the elastomers, the result is a good compromise between max comfort and efficiency. But you may be asking: what about the rest of the story – how does it ride? How does it handle? Read on!

One of the things I hate to do, is have a bike or trike perform poorly in a review, and it turns out that it was because of some mistake in assembly. So, I tend to have the professionals at Fairfield Cyclery do it, or I take it to “my mechanic”, Walt Smith. He got the nod for this one. And, I like to get the opinions of others, too, so not only did Walt get some riding in, but so did Regis Hampton, of Hampton’s Edge bicycle shop.

One of the first things I noticed was just how smoothly and quietly the Butterfly shifted and rode. The components on this review bike were top-notch (Shimano Ultegra), which helps, as well as the lack of chain tubes and only one idler (with relative mild chain angles). About the only thing I could hear while pedaling was the nearly-absent road noise from the Schwalbe Kojak tires.

The seat is well-padded and quite comfortable, with a variable recline to the seat angle. One thing you will notice, if you are a combination of hammerhead and masher, it that there is some flex in the seat back. Not much, really, but some might notice a bit. The struts are not mounted at an angle that would eliminate this entirely. If you pedal smoothly, there will be little if any noticeable flex; but if you are a masher, not given to “pedaling in circles”, you might notice it.’

About that back end, with the seat struts and the elastomers: when this bike reaches production, I expect that different elastomers for different weights will be available. The current pair are more suitable for a rider around 200 pounts, I suspect, since I did notice a degree of smoothing of the rough stuff. Regis Hampton (of Hampton’s Edge), on the other hand, felt the ride was stiff, almost harsh, since he felt no smoothing – but then he weighs about 12 pounds. Well, maybe a bit more, but let’s just say he’s light enough that he would need a different value of resilience in the elastomers.

The handling of the Butterfly is excellent. I was able to hold a good line at some pretty low speeds, and the always-welcome downhills showed the geometry and construction work well together, with no worrisome meanders into the other lane. It’s quite nimble, and is great for both riding on the roads, as well as on bike trails.

The performance of the bike is good: I was able to accelerate to more than 20 mph without any undue distress. While it won’t match the speed of some of the low- and mid-racers we have seen lately, it will hold its own against those designed for a less testosterone-spewing ride.

Looking over the bike, I found that the designer paid lots of attention to the details. The stem, for example, can be varied in height by using a quick release. And, another quick release will allow you to swing the whole handlebar assembly forward, for ease of mounting and dismounting. The hinge for this mechanism does have some sharp edges, though not enough to cause me to be very concerned.

You may be saying, great, the stem folds – but what about the rest of the bike? How difficult is it to fold? The answer is: not difficult at all. The stem, for example, can fold down and to the side, where it can be inserted into a handy plastic clamp. The back end will swing down and forward by lifting the rear, while the front, when another quick release is undone, will also swing down and toward the rear. The rear of the seat also can swing down and forward, with the result that the package is quite compact. A definite plus is that none of these operations require the use of any tools.

If you need it smaller yet, if you want to put the Butterfly in one of those Samsonite F’lite suitcases, for example, you will be doing a disassembly of various parts. You’ll need a minimal amount of tools – some hex wrenches – but be sure to keep the detailed instruction manual close by. The best fit is achieved by packing things in order, as described. Going on your own involves the risk of taking much too long, frustration, and the confusion over knowing it came in a suitcase, so why won’t it go back into one? Read the directions, take your time, and you’ll find that this is not some trick taught only at Hogwarts.

We must remember that my test bike is a prototype, and some things are bound to change when production starts. One thing I’d like to see: braze-ons for mounting fenders and a rear rack. Right now there are some lower braze-ons on the rear that could be used for mounting either a rack or a fender, but probably not both – and nothing higher up to connect the rack “arms” to, or the front of a rear fender. Nothing was visible at the front – that I could see. I’m sure these are details that can and will be added later.

Some numbers for those who like to see them;

Wheelbase: 39.8 inches

Seat Height: 24.8”

Bottom Bracket Height: 25.6”

Weight: 33 pounds

The Butterfly by Rich Sadler:Pros: It folds, and can be broken down to fit into a Samsonite F’lite suitcase -including seat and wheels. It handles well, performance is good, and is relatively light.Cons: Ease the addition of fenders and rack.Possible retail price: $2700For more information: email Rich Sadler at richsadler@comcast.net or visit his website, http://butterflybicycles.com/home